While Oris’s best known dive watches come from its popular Divers Sixty-Five lineup, the upscale ProDiver family is where the Hölstein-based brand flexes its technical muscles. Ostensibly aimed at “professional divers,” the ProDiver watches boast deep water capability, helium release valves and unique locking elapsed-time bezels. The “Dive Control” Limited Edition is the latest version from this bottom dwelling bunch, a chronograph with a burly DLC black titanium case and yellow dial accents.

The new ProDiver Dive Control is limited to 500 pieces, with a distinctive yellow and black color scheme that is entirely sporty.

Initial Thoughts

Befitting its abyssal ambitions, this watch is a leviathan: 51mm is a lot of watch. Having worn a ProDiver GMT for a week last year, I can vouch for the line’s relative comfort, thanks to stubby lugs and a lighter titanium case material. And visually, the black color of the Dive Control does shrink it a bit on the wrist. Still, by any measure, you’re going to know you’re wearing this one, and for some dive watch fans, the bigger the better. This is an incredibly sporty, masculine watch aesthetically, from the yellow dial accents to the supple rubber strap that Oris always does well. The adjustable clasp is genius, sliding and locking easily to accommodate wrist swelling or shrinkage.

In addition to the yellow accents, the rehaut is engraved with the "Dive Control" name.

The merits of a dive chronograph for underwater use, especially one with screw-down pushers, are debatable, but I do have a soft spot for this genre of watch. There’s just a lot going on, a lot of tactile features with which to interact, from the locking ceramic bezel (pull up to turn, push down to lock), to the push-piece collars, to the chronograph itself.

I like Oris when it plays to its strength, which is high quality, innovative watches that are accessible to the average watch enthusiast – pointer dates, clever depth gauges, smart pilot’s watches. The ProDiver family aims a bit higher and, at close to five grand, pushes the “accessible” label for price, but the results are impressive – a tour de force of DLC titanium, ceramic, and deep water resistance.